Rutile     Hiddenite, Alexander County, North Carolina. This is the finest, fully terminated floater I have seen from this important rutile locality. It is small, measuring 2.1 x 1.8 x .3 cm but simply amazing. The reticulation is nothing short of magnificent: deep in all areas, balanced, and very much snowflake like. The crystals are very translucent, many would say transparent (somewhat masked due to their being striated) and a deep rich red color. There are no bad areas on the piece, no contacts, no stains, no poorly formed sections or terminations. All the terminations are perfect!  There is some minor white mineral putty that is new and pliable but I have not attempted to remove it.  Expensive but sure to please the perfectionist or competitor. $1,950